Method and system for facilitating purchasing of advertising via electronic auction

Abstract

Purchasing of advertising is facilitated via an electronic auction. A purchase price is set, and includes an amount that an advertising purchaser is willing to pay for advertising. Advertising sellers are informed of the purchase price. The electronic auction is conducted via a website interface maintained on a computer network. Bids posted by the advertising sellers are received. The bids include a quantity of advertising the advertising seller is willing to provide in exchange for the purchase price. A winning bid is identified based at least in part on the quantity of advertising each of the advertising sellers is willing to provide.

1 . A method for facilitating purchasing of advertising via an electronic auction comprising: 
 (A) setting a purchase price comprising an amount that an advertising purchaser is willing to pay for advertising;    (B) informing two or more advertising sellers of the purchase price;    (C) conducting the electronic auction via a website interface maintained on a computer network;    (D) moderating the electronic auction by a moderator;    (E) receiving at the website, over the computer network, at least one bid posted by at least one of the advertising sellers, wherein each of the bids comprises a quantity of advertising the advertising seller is willing to provide in exchange for the purchase price; and    (F) identifying a winning bid based at least in part on the quantity of advertising each of the advertising sellers is willing to provide, 
 wherein the website interface comprises at least three display views, the display views comprising a moderator display view, an advertising seller display view, and an advertising purchaser display view; wherein each of the three display views comprise two separate areas, one of the areas comprising a submitted bid viewing area and one of the areas comprising a moderator comment area; and wherein all of the bids are viewable in the bid viewing area by all of the advertising sellers, by the advertising purchaser, and by the moderator upon being posted.  
   
     
     
         2 . A method for facilitating purchasing of advertising via an electronic auction comprising: 
 (A) setting a purchase price comprising an amount that an advertising purchaser is willing to pay for advertising;    (B) informing two or more advertising sellers of the purchase price;    (C) conducting the electronic auction via a website interface maintained on a computer network;    (D) moderating the electronic auction by a moderator comprising, at least in part, an automated moderator;    (E) receiving at the website, over the computer network, at least one bid posted by at least one of the advertising sellers, wherein each of the bids comprises a quantity of advertising the advertising seller is willing to provide in exchange for the purchase price; and    (F) identifying a winning bid based at least in part on the quantity of advertising each of the advertising sellers is willing to provide, 
 wherein the website interface comprises at least two display views, the display views comprising an advertising seller display view and an advertising purchaser display view; wherein each of the display views comprise two separate areas, one of the areas comprising a submitted bid viewing area and one of the areas comprising a moderator comment area; and wherein all of the bids are viewable in the bid viewing area by all of the advertising sellers and by the advertising purchaser upon being posted.  
   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the advertising seller display view comprises a bid posting area.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2  wherein the advertising seller display view comprises a bid posting area.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 3  wherein bids accepted by the website interface in the bid posting area are restricted to numerical data.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 4  wherein bids accepted by the website interface in the bid posting area are restricted to numerical data.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 5  wherein the bids accepted by the website interface in the bid posting area are restricted to numerical data of a value that is within a predetermined set of parameters.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 6  wherein the bids accepted by the website interface in the bid posting area are restricted to numerical data of a value that is within a predetermined set of parameters.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the moderator display view comprises a moderator comment area, wherein pre-set comments are made available to the moderator for posting in the moderator comment area.  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the moderator display view comprises a bid control area for controlling the bids, the controlling comprising canceling a bid.  
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the moderator display view comprises an auction control area for controlling the auction, the controlling comprising at least one of pausing the auction, temporarily disallowing bidding, removing a bidder.  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1  wherein none of the advertising sellers know an identity of any other of the advertising sellers during the electronic auction.  
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 2  wherein none of the advertising sellers know an identity of any other of the advertising sellers during the electronic auction.  
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the advertising purchaser display view comprises an advertising sellers identity box for revealing an identity of the advertising sellers.  
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 2  wherein the advertising purchaser display view comprises an advertising sellers identity box for revealing an identity of the advertising sellers.  
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the informing comprises automatically transmitting to the advertising seller an electronic message comprising an invitation to the electronic auction and wherein the advertising seller accepts or rejects the invitation electronically.  
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 2  wherein the informing comprises automatically transmitting to the advertising seller an electronic message comprising an invitation to the electronic auction and wherein the advertising seller accepts or rejects the invitation electronically.  
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 1  wherein a number of winning bids is predetermined in advance of the electronic auction and automatically processed at a conclusion of the electronic auction.  
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 2  wherein a number of winning bids is predetermined in advance of the electronic auction and automatically processed at a conclusion of the electronic auction.  
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising: 
 (G) maintaining a record of the bids received at the website and generating a transcript from the record.    
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 2  further comprising: 
 (G) maintaining a record of the bids received at the website and generating a transcript from the record.    
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising: 
 (G) rating, by the advertising purchasers, the advertising sellers participating in the electronic auction.    
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 2  further comprising: 
 (G) rating, by the advertising purchasers, the advertising sellers participating in the electronic auction.    
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising: 
 (G) assigning one or more levels of authority to participate in activities related to the electronic auction, wherein the levels of authority are based on a role of a participant in the electronic auction, the roles comprising at least one of an advertising purchaser role, an advertising seller role, and a moderator role.    
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 2  further comprising: 
 (G) assigning one or more levels of authority to participate in activities related to the electronic auction, wherein the levels of authority are based on a role of a participant in the electronic auction, the roles comprising at least one of an advertising purchaser role and an advertising seller role.    
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the electronic auction is conducted in an environment that is customized for the advertising purchaser.  
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 2  wherein the electronic auction is conducted in an environment that is customized for the advertising purchaser.  
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the electronic auction is conducted in an environment that is customized for an advertising agency.  
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 2  wherein the electronic auction is conducted in an environment that is customized for an advertising agency.  
     
     
         30 . A system for facilitating purchasing of advertising via an electronic auction comprising: 
 one or more servers that support a website maintained on a computer network for conducting the electronic auction, the conducting comprising: 
 (A) setting a purchase price comprising an amount that an advertising purchaser is willing to pay for advertising;  
 (B) informing two or more advertising sellers of the purchase price;  
 (C) moderating the electronic auction by a moderator;  
 (D) receiving at the website, over the computer network, at least one bid posted by at least one of the advertising sellers, wherein each of the bids comprises a quantity of advertising the advertising seller is willing to provide in exchange for the purchase price; and  
 (E) identifying a winning bid based at least in part on the quantity of advertising each of the advertising sellers is willing to provide,  
   wherein the website interface comprises at least three display views, the display views comprising a moderator display view, an advertising seller display view, and an advertising purchaser display view; wherein each of the three display views comprise two separate areas, one of the areas comprising a submitted bid viewing area and one of the areas comprising a moderator comment area; and wherein all of the bids are viewable in the bid viewing area by all of the advertising sellers, by the advertising purchaser, and by the moderator upon being posted.    
     
     
         31 . A system for facilitating purchasing of advertising via an electronic auction comprising: 
 one or more servers that support a website maintained on a computer network for conducting the electronic auction, the conducting comprising: 
 (A) setting a purchase price comprising an amount that an advertising purchaser is willing to pay for advertising;  
 (B) informing two or more advertising sellers of the purchase price;  
 (C) moderating the electronic auction by a moderator comprising, at least in part, an automated moderator;  
 (D) receiving at the website, over the computer network, at least one bid posted by at least one of the advertising sellers, wherein each of the bids comprises a quantity of advertising the advertising seller is willing to provide in exchange for the purchase price; and  
 (E) identifying a winning bid based at least in part on the quantity of advertising each of the advertising sellers is willing to provide,  
   wherein the website interface comprises at least two display views, the display views comprising an advertising seller display view and an advertising purchaser display view; wherein each of the display views comprise two separate areas, one of the areas comprising a submitted bid viewing area and one of the areas comprising a moderator comment area; and wherein all of the bids are viewable in the bid viewing area by all of the advertising sellers and by the advertising purchaser upon being posted.    
     
     
         32 . The system of  claim 30  wherein the advertising seller display view comprises a bid posting area.  
     
     
         33 . The system of  claim 31  wherein the advertising seller display view comprises a bid posting area.  
     
     
         34 . The system of  claim 32  wherein bids accepted by the website interface in the bid posting area are restricted to numerical data.  
     
     
         35 . The system of  claim 33  wherein bids accepted by the website interface in the bid posting area are restricted to numerical data.  
     
     
         36 . The system of  claim 34  wherein the bids accepted by the website interface in the bid posting area are restricted to numerical data of a value that is within a predetermined set of parameters.  
     
     
         37 . The system of  claim 35  wherein the bids accepted by the website interface in the bid posting area are restricted to numerical data of a value that is within a predetermined set of parameters.  
     
     
         38 . The system of  claim 30  wherein the moderator display view comprises a moderator comment area, wherein pre-set comments are made available to the moderator for posting in the moderator comment area.  
     
     
         39 . The system of  claim 30  wherein the moderator display view comprises a bid control area for controlling the bids, the controlling comprising canceling a bid.  
     
     
         40 . The system of  claim 30  wherein the moderator display view comprises an auction control area for controlling the auction, the controlling comprising at least one of pausing the auction, temporarily disallowing bidding, removing a bidder.  
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 30  wherein none of the advertising sellers know an identity of any other of the advertising sellers during the electronic auction.  
     
     
         42 . The method of  claim 31  wherein none of the advertising sellers know an identity of any other of the advertising sellers during the electronic auction.  
     
     
         43 . The system of  claim 30  wherein the advertising purchaser display view comprises an advertising sellers identity box for revealing an identity of the advertising sellers.  
     
     
         44 . The system of  claim 31  wherein the advertising purchaser display view comprises an advertising sellers identity box for revealing an identity of the advertising sellers.  
     
     
         45 . The system of  claim 30  wherein the informing comprises automatically transmitting to the advertising seller an electronic message comprising an invitation to the electronic auction and wherein the advertising seller accepts or rejects the invitation electronically.  
     
     
         46 . The system of  claim 31  wherein the informing comprises automatically transmitting to the advertising seller an electronic message comprising an invitation to the electronic auction and wherein the advertising seller accepts or rejects the invitation electronically.  
     
     
         47 . The system of  claim 30  wherein a number of winning bids is predetermined in advance of the electronic auction and automatically processed at a conclusion of the electronic auction.  
     
     
         48 . The system of  claim 31  wherein a number of winning bids is predetermined in advance of the electronic auction and automatically processed at a conclusion of the electronic auction.  
     
     
         49 . The system of  claim 30  wherein the conducting further comprises: 
 (G) maintaining a record of the bids received at the website and generating a transcript from the record.    
     
     
         50 . The system of  claim 31  wherein the conducting further comprises: 
 (G) maintaining a record of the bids received at the website and generating a transcript from the record.    
     
     
         51 . The system of  claim 30  wherein the advertising purchasers rate the advertising sellers participating in the electronic auction  
     
     
         52 . The system of  claim 31  wherein the advertising purchasers rate the advertising sellers participating in the electronic auction.  
     
     
         53 . The system of  claim 30 , wherein the servers are further used to set up the electronic auction, the setting up comprising: 
 (A) assigning one or more levels of authority to participate in activities related to the electronic auction, wherein the levels of authority are based on a role of a participant in the electronic auction, the roles comprising at least one of an advertising purchaser role, an advertising seller role, and a moderator role.    
     
     
         54 . The system of  claim 31 , wherein the servers are further used to set up the electronic auction, the setting up comprising: 
 (A) assigning one or more levels of authority to participate in activities related to the electronic auction, wherein the levels of authority are based on a role of a participant in the electronic auction, the roles comprising at least one of an advertising purchaser role and an advertising seller role.    
     
     
         55 . The system of  claim 30  wherein the electronic auction is conducted in an environment that is customized for the advertising purchaser.  
     
     
         56 . The system of  claim 31  wherein the electronic auction is conducted in an environment that is customized for an advertising purchaser.  
     
     
         57 . The system of  claim 30  wherein the electronic auction is conducted in an environment that is customized for the advertising agency.  
     
     
         58 . The system of  claim 31  wherein the electronic auction is conducted in an environment that is customized for an advertising agency.  
     
     
         59 . A method for facilitating purchasing of advertising via an electronic auction comprising: 
 (A) setting a purchase price comprising an amount that an advertising purchaser is willing to pay for advertising;    (B) informing two or more advertising sellers of the purchase price;    (C) conducting the electronic auction via a website interface maintained on a computer network;    (D) moderating the electronic auction by a moderator;    (E) receiving at the website, over the computer network, at least one bid posted by at least one of the advertising sellers, wherein each of the bids comprises a quantity of advertising the advertising seller is willing to provide in exchange for the purchase price and wherein each of the bids is restricted to numerical data and, optionally, to numerical data of a value that is within a predetermined set of parameters; and    (F) identifying a winning bid based at least in part on the quantity of advertising each of the advertising sellers is willing to provide, 
 wherein all of the bids are viewable by all participants in the auction upon being posted.  
   
     
     
         60 . The method of  claim 59  wherein the moderator comprises, at least in part, an automated moderator.  
     
     
         61 . The method of  claim 59  wherein the website interface comprises at least three display views, the display views comprising a moderator display view, an advertising seller display view, and an advertising purchaser display view; wherein each of the three display views comprise two separate areas, one of the areas comprising a submitted bid viewing area and one of the areas comprising a moderator comment area.  
     
     
         62 . The method of  claim 60  wherein the website interface comprises at least two display views, the display views comprising an advertising seller display view and an advertising purchaser display view; wherein each of the display views comprise two separate areas, one of the areas comprising a submitted bid viewing area and one of the areas comprising a moderator comment area.  
     
     
         63 . The method of  claim 61  wherein the moderator display view comprises a moderator comment area, wherein pre-set comments are made available to the moderator for posting in the moderator comment area.  
     
     
         64 . The method of  claim 61  wherein the moderator display view comprises a bid control area for controlling the bids, the controlling comprising canceling a bid.  
     
     
         65 . The method of  claim 61  wherein the moderator display view comprises an auction control area for controlling the auction, the controlling comprising at least one of pausing the auction, temporarily disallowing bidding, removing a bidder.  
     
     
         66 . The method of  claim 59  wherein none of the advertising sellers know an identity of any other of the advertising sellers during the electronic auction.  
     
     
         67 . The method of  claim 60  wherein none of the advertising sellers know an identity of any other of the advertising sellers during the electronic auction.  
     
     
         68 . The method of  claim 59  wherein the advertising purchaser display view comprises an advertising sellers identity box for revealing an identity of the advertising sellers.  
     
     
         69 . The method of  claim 60  wherein the advertising purchaser display view comprises an advertising sellers identity box for revealing an identity of the advertising sellers.  
     
     
         70 . The method of  claim 59  wherein the informing comprises automatically transmitting to the advertising seller an electronic message comprising an invitation to the electronic auction and wherein the advertising seller accepts or rejects the invitation electronically.  
     
     
         71 . The method of  claim 60  wherein the informing comprises automatically transmitting to the advertising seller an electronic message comprising an invitation to the electronic auction and wherein the advertising seller accepts or rejects the invitation electronically.  
     
     
         72 . The method of  claim 59  wherein a number of winning bids is predetermined in advance of the electronic auction and automatically processed at a conclusion of the electronic auction.  
     
     
         73 . The method of  claim 60  wherein a number of winning bids is predetermined in advance of the electronic auction and automatically processed at a conclusion of the electronic auction.  
     
     
         74 . The method of  claim 59  further comprising: 
 (G) maintaining a record of the bids received at the website and generating a transcript from the record.    
     
     
         75 . The method of  claim 60  further comprising: 
 (G) maintaining a record of the bids received at the website and generating a transcript from the record.    
     
     
         76 . The method of  claim 59  further comprising: 
 (G) rating, by the advertising purchasers, the advertising sellers participating in the electronic auction.    
     
     
         77 . The method of  claim 60  further comprising: 
 (G) rating, by the advertising purchasers, the advertising sellers participating in the electronic auction.    
     
     
         78 . The method of  claim 59  further comprising: 
 (G) assigning one or more levels of authority to participate in activities related to the electronic auction, wherein the levels of authority are based on a role of a participant in the electronic auction, the roles comprising at least one of an advertising purchaser role, an advertising seller role, and a moderator role.    
     
     
         79 . The method of  claim 60  further comprising: 
 (G) assigning one or more levels of authority to participate in activities related to the electronic auction, wherein the levels of authority are based on a role of a participant in the electronic auction, the roles comprising at least one of an advertising purchaser role and an advertising seller role.    
     
     
         80 . The method of  claim 59  wherein the electronic auction is conducted in an environment that is customized for the advertising purchaser.  
     
     
         81 . The method of  claim 60  wherein the electronic auction is conducted in an environment that is customized for an advertising purchaser.  
     
     
         82 . The method of  claim 59  wherein the electronic auction is conducted in an environment that is customized for the advertising agency.  
     
     
         83 . The method of  claim 60  wherein the electronic auction is conducted in an environment that is customized for an advertising agency.  
     
     
         84 . A system for facilitating purchasing of advertising via an electronic auction comprising: 
 one or more servers that support a website maintained on a computer network for conducting the electronic auction, the conducting comprising: 
 (A) setting a purchase price comprising an amount that an advertising purchaser is willing to pay for advertising;  
 (B) informing two or more advertising sellers of the purchase price;  
 (C) moderating the electronic auction by a moderator;  
 (D) receiving at the website, over the computer network, at least one bid posted by at least one of the advertising sellers, wherein each of the bids comprises a quantity of advertising the advertising seller is willing to provide in exchange for the purchase price and wherein each of the bids is restricted to numerical data and, optionally, to numerical data of a value that is within a predetermined set of parameters; and  
 (E) identifying a winning bid based at least in part on the quantity of advertising each of the advertising sellers is willing to provide,  
   wherein all of the bids are viewable by all participants in the auction upon being posted.    
     
     
         85 . The system of  claim 84  wherein the moderator comprises, at least in part, an automated moderator.  
     
     
         86 . The system of  claim 84  wherein the website interface comprises at least three display views, the display views comprising a moderator display view, an advertising seller display view, and an advertising purchaser display view; wherein each of the three display views comprise two separate areas, one of the areas comprising a submitted bid viewing area and one of the areas comprising a moderator comment area.  
     
     
         87 . The system of  claim 85  wherein the website interface comprises at least two display views, the display views comprising an advertising seller display view and an advertising purchaser display view; wherein each of the display views comprise two separate areas, one of the areas comprising a submitted bid viewing area and one of the areas comprising a moderator comment area.  
     
     
         88 . The system of  claim 86  wherein the moderator display view comprises a moderator comment area, wherein pre-set comments are made available to the moderator for posting in the moderator comment area.  
     
     
         89 . The system of  claim 86  wherein the moderator display view comprises a bid control area for controlling the bids, the controlling comprising canceling a bid.  
     
     
         90 . The system of  claim 86  wherein the moderator display view comprises an auction control area for controlling the auction, the controlling comprising at least one of pausing the auction, temporarily disallowing bidding, removing a bidder.  
     
     
         91 . The system of  claim 84  wherein none of the advertising sellers know an identity of any other of the advertising sellers during the electronic auction.  
     
     
         92 . The system of  claim 85  wherein none of the advertising sellers know an identity of any other of the advertising sellers during the electronic auction.  
     
     
         93 . The system of  claim 84  wherein the advertising purchaser display view comprises an advertising sellers identity box for revealing an identity of the advertising sellers.  
     
     
         94 . The system of  claim 85  wherein the advertising purchaser display view comprises an advertising sellers identity box for revealing an identity of the advertising sellers.  
     
     
         95 . The system of  claim 84  wherein the informing comprises automatically transmitting to the advertising seller an electronic message comprising an invitation to the electronic auction and wherein the advertising seller accepts or rejects the invitation electronically.  
     
     
         96 . The system of  claim 85  wherein the informing comprises automatically transmitting to the advertising seller an electronic message comprising an invitation to the electronic auction and wherein the advertising seller accepts or rejects the invitation electronically.  
     
     
         97 . The system of  claim 84  wherein a number of winning bids is predetermined in advance of the electronic auction and automatically processed at a conclusion of the electronic auction.  
     
     
         98 . The system of  claim 85  wherein a number of winning bids is predetermined in advance of the electronic auction and automatically processed at a conclusion of the electronic auction.  
     
     
         99 . The system of  claim 84  wherein the conducting further comprises: 
 (G) maintaining a record of the bids received at the website and generating a transcript from the record.    
     
     
         100 . The system of  claim 85  wherein the conducting further comprises: 
 (G) maintaining a record of the bids received at the website and generating a transcript from the record.    
     
     
         101 . The system of  claim 84  wherein the advertising purchasers rate the advertising sellers participating in the electronic auction.  
     
     
         102 . The system of  claim 85  wherein the advertising purchasers rate the advertising sellers participating in the electronic auction.  
     
     
         103 . The system of  claim 84 , wherein the servers are further used to set up the electronic auction, the setting up comprising: 
 (A) assigning one or more levels of authority to participate in activities related to the electronic auction, wherein the levels of authority are based on a role of a participant in the electronic auction, the roles comprising at least one of an advertising purchaser role, an advertising seller role, and a moderator role.    
     
     
         104 . The system of  claim 85 , wherein the servers are further used to set up the electronic auction, the setting up comprising: 
 (A) assigning one or more levels of authority to participate in activities related to the electronic auction, wherein the levels of authority are based on a role of a participant in the electronic auction, the roles comprising at least one of an advertising purchaser role and an advertising seller role.    
     
     
         105 . The system of  claim 84  wherein the electronic auction is conducted in an environment that is customized for the advertising purchaser.  
     
     
         106 . The system of  claim 85  wherein the electronic auction is conducted in an environment that is customized for the advertising purchaser.  
     
     
         107 . The system of  claim 84  wherein the electronic auction is conducted in an environment that is customized for an advertising agency.  
     
     
         108 . The system of  claim 85  wherein the electronic auction is conducted in an environment that is customized for an advertising agency.  
     
     
         109 . A method for facilitating purchasing of advertising via an electronic auction comprising: 
 (A) setting a purchase price comprising an amount that an advertising purchaser is willing to pay for advertising;    (B) informing two or more advertising sellers of the purchase price;    (C) conducting the electronic auction via a website interface maintained on a computer network;    (D) moderating the electronic auction by a moderator;    (E) receiving at the website, over the computer network, at least one bid posted by at least one of the advertising sellers, wherein each of the bids comprises a quantity of advertising the advertising seller is willing to provide in exchange for the purchase price; and    (F) identifying a winning bid based at least in part on the quantity of advertising each of the advertising sellers is willing to provide, 
 wherein all of the bids are viewable by all participants in the auction upon being posted and wherein the moderator is capable of controlling the bids.  
   
     
     
         110 . The method of  claim 109  wherein the moderator comprises, at least in part, an automated moderator.  
     
     
         111 . The method of  claim 109  wherein the controlling comprises canceling a bid.  
     
     
         112 . The method of  claim 109  wherein the controlling comprises at least one of pausing the auction, temporarily disallowing bidding, removing a bidder.  
     
     
         113 . The method of  claim 109  wherein each of the bids is restricted to numerical data and, optionally, to numerical data of a value that is within a predetermined set of parameters.  
     
     
         114 . The method of  claim 110  wherein each of the bids is restricted to numerical data and, optionally, to numerical data of a value that is within a predetermined set of parameters.  
     
     
         115 . The method of  claim 109  wherein the website interface comprises at least three display views, the display views comprising a moderator display view, an advertising seller display view, and an advertising purchaser display view; wherein each of the three display views comprise two separate areas, one of the areas comprising a submitted bid viewing area and one of the areas comprising a moderator comment area.  
     
     
         116 . The method of  claim 110  wherein the website interface comprises at least two display views, the display views comprising an advertising seller display view and an advertising purchaser display view; wherein each of the display views comprise two separate areas, one of the areas comprising a submitted bid viewing area and one of the areas comprising a moderator comment area.  
     
     
         117 . The method of  claim 109  wherein the moderator display view comprises a moderator comment area, wherein pre-set comments are made available to the moderator for posting in the moderator comment area.  
     
     
         118 . The method of  claim 109  wherein none of the advertising sellers know an identity of any other of the advertising sellers during the electronic auction.  
     
     
         119 . The method of  claim 110  wherein none of the advertising sellers know an identity of any other of the advertising sellers during the electronic auction.  
     
     
         120 . The method of  claim 109  wherein the advertising purchaser display view comprises an advertising sellers identity box for revealing an identity of the advertising sellers.  
     
     
         121 . The method of  claim 110  wherein the advertising purchaser display view comprises an advertising sellers identity box for revealing an identity of the advertising sellers.  
     
     
         122 . The method of  claim 109  wherein the informing comprises automatically transmitting to the advertising seller an electronic message comprising an invitation to the electronic auction and wherein the advertising seller accepts or rejects the invitation electronically.  
     
     
         123 . The method of  claim 110  wherein the informing comprises automatically transmitting to the advertising seller an electronic message comprising an invitation to the electronic auction and wherein the advertising seller accepts or rejects the invitation electronically.  
     
     
         124 . The method of  claim 109  wherein a number of winning bids is predetermined in advance of the electronic auction and automatically processed at a conclusion of the electronic auction.  
     
     
         125 . The method of  claim 110  wherein a number of winning bids is predetermined in advance of the electronic auction and automatically processed at a conclusion of the electronic auction.  
     
     
         126 . The method of  claim 109  further comprising: 
 (G) maintaining a record of the bids received at the website and generating a transcript from the record.    
     
     
         127 . The method of  claim 110  further comprising: 
 (G) maintaining a record of the bids received at the website and generating a transcript from the record.    
     
     
         128 . The method of  claim 109  further comprising: 
 (G) rating, by the advertising purchasers, the advertising sellers participating in the electronic auction.    
     
     
         129 . The method of  claim 110  further comprising: 
 (G) rating, by the advertising purchasers, the advertising sellers participating in the electronic auction.    
     
     
         130 . The method of  claim 109  further comprising: 
 (G) assigning one or more levels of authority to participate in activities related to the electronic auction, wherein the levels of authority are based on a role of a participant in the electronic auction, the roles comprising at least one of an advertising purchaser role, an advertising seller role, and a moderator role.    
     
     
         131 . The method of  claim 110  further comprising: 
 (G) assigning one or more levels of authority to participate in activities related to the electronic auction, wherein the levels of authority are based on a role of a participant in the electronic auction, the roles comprising at least one of an advertising purchaser role and an advertising seller role.    
     
     
         132 . The method of  claim 109  wherein the electronic auction is conducted in an environment that is customized for the advertising purchaser.  
     
     
         133 . The method of  claim 110  wherein the electronic auction is conducted in an environment that is customized for the advertising purchaser.  
     
     
         134 . The method of  claim 109  wherein the electronic auction is conducted in an environment that is customized for an advertising agency.  
     
     
         135 . The method of  claim 110  wherein the electronic auction is conducted in an environment that is customized for an advertising agency.  
     
     
         136 . A system for facilitating purchasing of advertising via an electronic auction comprising: 
 one or more servers that support a website maintained on a computer network for conducting the electronic auction, the conducting comprising: 
 (A) setting a purchase price comprising an amount that an advertising purchaser is willing to pay for advertising;  
 (B) informing two or more advertising sellers of the purchase price;  
 (C) moderating the electronic auction by a moderator;  
 (D) receiving at the website, over the computer network, at least one bid posted by at least one of the advertising sellers, wherein each of the bids comprises a quantity of advertising the advertising seller is willing to provide in exchange for the purchase price; and  
 (E) identifying a winning bid based at least in part on the quantity of advertising each of the advertising sellers is willing to provide,  
   wherein all of the bids are viewable by all participants in the auction upon being posted and wherein the moderator is capable of controlling the bids.    
     
     
         137 . The system of  claim 136  wherein the moderator comprises, at least in part, an automated moderator.  
     
     
         138 . The system of  claim 136  wherein the controlling comprises canceling a bid.  
     
     
         139 . The system of  claim 136  wherein the controlling comprises at least one of pausing the auction, temporarily disallowing bidding, removing a bidder.  
     
     
         140 . The system of  claim 136  wherein each of the bids is restricted to numerical data and, optionally, to numerical data of a value that is within a predetermined set of parameters.  
     
     
         141 . The system of  claim 137  wherein each of the bids is restricted to numerical data and, optionally, to numerical data of a value that is within a predetermined set of parameters.  
     
     
         142 . The system of  claim 136  wherein the website interface comprises at least three display views, the display views comprising a moderator display view, an advertising seller display view, and an advertising purchaser display view; wherein each of the three display views comprise two separate areas, one of the areas comprising a submitted bid viewing area and one of the areas comprising a moderator comment area.  
     
     
         143 . The system of  claim 137  wherein the website interface comprises at least two display views, the display views comprising an advertising seller display view and an advertising purchaser display view; wherein each of the display views comprise two separate areas, one of the areas comprising a submitted bid viewing area and one of the areas comprising a moderator comment area.  
     
     
         144 . The system of  claim 142  wherein the moderator display view comprises a moderator comment area, wherein pre-set comments are made available to the moderator for posting in the moderator comment area.  
     
     
         145 . The system of  claim 136  wherein none of the advertising sellers know an identity of any other of the advertising sellers during the electronic auction.  
     
     
         146 . The system of  claim 136  wherein none of the advertising sellers know an identity of any other of the advertising sellers during the electronic auction.  
     
     
         147 . The system of  claim 136  wherein the advertising purchaser display view comprises an advertising sellers identity box for revealing an identity of the advertising sellers.  
     
     
         148 . The system of  claim 137  wherein the advertising purchaser display view comprises an advertising sellers identity box for revealing an identity of the advertising sellers.  
     
     
         149 . The system of  claim 136  wherein the informing comprises automatically transmitting to the advertising seller an electronic message comprising an invitation to the electronic auction and wherein the advertising seller accepts or rejects the invitation electronically.  
     
     
         150 . The system of  claim 137  wherein the informing comprises automatically transmitting to the advertising seller an electronic message comprising an invitation to the electronic auction and wherein the advertising seller accepts or rejects the invitation electronically.  
     
     
         151 . The system of  claim 136  wherein a number of winning bids is predetermined in advance of the electronic auction and automatically processed at a conclusion of the electronic auction.  
     
     
         152 . The system of  claim 137  wherein a number of winning bids is predetermined in advance of the electronic auction and automatically processed at a conclusion of the electronic auction.  
     
     
         153 . The system of  claim 136  wherein the conducting further comprises: 
 (G) maintaining a record of the bids received at the website and generating a transcript from the record.    
     
     
         154 . The system of  claim 137  wherein the conducting further comprises: 
 (G) maintaining a record of the bids received at the website and generating a transcript from the record.    
     
     
         155 . The method of  claim 136  wherein the advertising purchasers rate the advertising sellers participating in the electronic auction.  
     
     
         156 . The method of  claim 137  wherein the advertising purchasers rate the advertising sellers participating in the electronic auction.  
     
     
         157 . The system of  claim 136 , wherein the servers are further used to set up the electronic auction, the setting up comprising: 
 (A) assigning one or more levels of authority to participate in activities related to the electronic auction, wherein the levels of authority are based on a role of a participant in the electronic auction, the roles comprising at least one of an advertising purchaser role, an advertising seller role, and a moderator role.    
     
     
         158 . The system of  claim 137 , wherein the servers are further used to set up the electronic auction, the setting up comprising: 
 (A) assigning one or more levels of authority to participate in activities related to the electronic auction, wherein the levels of authority are based on a role of a participant in the electronic auction, the roles comprising at least one of an advertising purchaser role and an advertising seller role.    
     
     
         159 . The system of  claim 136  wherein the electronic auction is conducted in an environment that is customized for the advertising purchaser.  
     
     
         160 . The system of  claim 137  wherein the electronic auction is conducted in an environment that is customized for the advertising purchaser.  
     
     
         161 . The system of  claim 136  wherein the electronic auction is conducted in an environment that is customized for an advertising agency.  
     
     
         162 . The system of  claim 137  wherein the electronic auction is conducted in an environment that is customized for an advertising agency.